jigger:zvoidx: Lost in the debate is that fact that marijuana supply, especially near urban areas, can be tainted with something or another. Sometimes there are added drugs such as angel dust, crack ore even roach spray. This is done to stay competitive versus regular pot.

Yeah, this is bullshiat. The way to be competitive is to have good weed, not to adulterate it.

Unless you know something I don't about "urban" areas (projects).

Brown people are poisoning our weed and making white girls give them blowjobs.

zvoidx:Lost in the debate is that fact that marijuana supply, especially near urban areas, can be tainted with something or another. Sometimes there are added drugs such as angel dust, crack ore even roach spray. This is done to stay competitive versus regular pot.

Legalizing it would avoid this kind of thing, albeit only in certain situations/areas. Even after legalized, there would still be the potential issue of smoking mass-produced pot containing carcinogenic insecticides. It's true marijuana can make people unmotivated, by are their studies to see the quality of the weed they are smoking versus its side effects?

WTF? No. The only cases of "tainted weed" I've heard of are kids doing it themselves by dipping it in solvent or formaldehyde (Coffin Nails), or adding LSD to it. A dealer who purposefully tainted their weed would lose all their customers instantly, and any legitimate medical dispensary would be facing more than just federal drug charges - they'd be made an example of by the DEA, FBI, FDA, and State Regulatory Authorities.

Most of the insecticides and herbicides used today become inactive or break down into their building-block chemicals when they are vaporized or ignited, most of which are not even near as toxic. To be quite frank, smoking weed has slightly less risk carcinogen wise as a home-rolled cigarette, and just as much risk cardiovascular and pulmonary wise.

Weed is not taxable to any great degree because growing it and curing it is simple to do. This is evident by the fact that so many people do it. People who argue this point are uninformed. Analogy to other production is irrelevant. Potheads typically love to grow their substance of choice. The authorities were effectively able to take methaqualone out of society when they chose to because the technicalities of that situation were different.

Weaver95:As much as the DEA would surely love to arrest everyone in Washington and Colorado, they've got a serious problem here with the legalization efforts. without the help of state and local cops, they can't fight the good fight against cannabis.

signaljammer:Weed is not taxable to any great degree because growing it and curing it is simple to do. This is evident by the fact that so many people do it. People who argue this point are uninformed. Analogy to other production is irrelevant. Potheads typically love to grow their substance of choice. The authorities were effectively able to take methaqualone out of society when they chose to because the technicalities of that situation were different.

Not really, if you're talking about mass recreational use, especially in urban areas.

It's analogous to tobacco taxation and production. You can grow your own in your back yard, or hydroponically if you want, but 90% of people are not going to go through all that trouble, or even want to dedicate the time to it.

Why would Joe Schmo want to do that when he can take his hard earned paycheck at 2200 at night, go down to the local convenience store, show his ID, and buy commercial pot which has a specific quality and THC content that is guaranteed?

Juansmith:Weaver95: As much as the DEA would surely love to arrest everyone in Washington and Colorado, they've got a serious problem here with the legalization efforts. without the help of state and local cops, they can't fight the good fight against cannabis.

I love the fact that the city of Seattle actually capped their post with a video clip of Gandalf getting high on the Hobbit's super skunk. I love living in an area that has a sense of humor about these things.

BronyMedic:signaljammer: Weed is not taxable to any great degree because growing it and curing it is simple to do. This is evident by the fact that so many people do it. People who argue this point are uninformed. Analogy to other production is irrelevant. Potheads typically love to grow their substance of choice. The authorities were effectively able to take methaqualone out of society when they chose to because the technicalities of that situation were different.

Not really, if you're talking about mass recreational use, especially in urban areas.

It's analogous to tobacco taxation and production. You can grow your own in your back yard, or hydroponically if you want, but 90% of people are not going to go through all that trouble, or even want to dedicate the time to it.

Why would Joe Schmo want to do that when he can take his hard earned paycheck at 2200 at night, go down to the local convenience store, show his ID, and buy commercial pot which has a specific quality and THC content that is guaranteed?

Good point. If that product was that easily available and regulated. But I don't think that situation will ever exist, not any time soon anyway. Even here in Colorado, I have no confidence that herb will be commercially available other than medicinally. I think the Feds will eventually challenge and overturn it before any commercial decisions/implementations have been made.

In the meantime, possession is legal right now. Growing your own is legal right now. It will remain this way until the amendment is overturned. I highly doubt that Colorado law enforcement,at any point in the future, is going to pursue personal gardens any more than they do now. So, my prediction for Colorado is that it will eventually be reversed, but possession and personal growth will be somewhat "grandfathered in" from a decrim standpoint.

Ebenezer Floppen Slopper:Are there tests out there that measure actual thc content in blood? The tests i am familiar with only measure the inactive metabolites that stick around for a while.

I honestly don't know. I just know that was one of the campaign issues brought up by the odd subset of Washington voters who smoke marijuana and will accept nothing less than full legalization.

I voted for it though - an incremental measure toward the government not wasting money on this any longer is better than nothing.

I'm inclined to say that regardless of the practicality of testing someone's blood for THC content, I'm betting the police really won't bother with it unless they genuinely believe the person to be impaired. And that is a rare position for me. I tend to say "If there's potential for abuse written into the law, it will be abused".

But we'll see. The nice thing about the initiative process in Washington is that this can all be adjusted later if necessary.

joonyer:Even here in Colorado, I have no confidence that herb will be commercially available other than medicinally. I think the Feds will eventually challenge and overturn it before any commercial decisions/implementations have been made.

Retail legalization is going to take both an act of congress (literally, they will have to rewrite Controlled Substance Scheduling laws, and federal drug laws through a legislative act), and FDA approval that it's safe for use over the counter since it's being used currently as a medicinal substance.

BronyMedic:joonyer: Even here in Colorado, I have no confidence that herb will be commercially available other than medicinally. I think the Feds will eventually challenge and overturn it before any commercial decisions/implementations have been made.

Retail legalization is going to take both an act of congress (literally, they will have to rewrite Controlled Substance Scheduling laws, and federal drug laws through a legislative act), and FDA approval that it's safe for use over the counter since it's being used currently as a medicinal substance.

The fact that you have zero concept of why people can't or wouldn't grow their own is proof positive that you are a goddamn moron. Pull your head out of your smug asshole for a minute before commenting on the internet.

BSABSVR:Ebenezer Floppen Slopper: BSABSVR: Ebenezer Floppen Slopper: the hell are you talking about

The fact that you have zero concept of why people can't or wouldn't grow their own is proof positive that you are a goddamn moron. Pull your head out of your smug asshole for a minute before commenting on the internet.

BronyMedic:WTF? No. The only cases of "tainted weed" I've heard of are kids doing it themselves by dipping it in solvent or formaldehyde (Coffin Nails), or adding LSD to it. A dealer who purposefully tainted their weed would lose all their customers instantly, and any legitimate medical dispensary would be facing more than just federal drug charges - they'd be made an example of by the DEA, FBI, FDA, and State Regulatory Authorities.

BronyMedic:It's analogous to tobacco taxation and production. You can grow your own in your back yard, or hydroponically if you want, but 90% of people are not going to go through all that trouble, or even want to dedicate the time to it.

Not really that hard. Plant the seeds, fertilize and water the plants. Grow more than you need because you have to dump the males after grabbing some pollen to fertilize a bud of the female for seeds next year. Basically a few minutes a week at most.

The fact that you have zero concept of why people can't or wouldn't grow their own is proof positive that you are a goddamn moron. Pull your head out of your smug asshole for a minute before commenting on the internet.

BronyMedic:joonyer: Even here in Colorado, I have no confidence that herb will be commercially available other than medicinally. I think the Feds will eventually challenge and overturn it before any commercial decisions/implementations have been made.

Retail legalization is going to take both an act of congress (literally, they will have to rewrite Controlled Substance Scheduling laws, and federal drug laws through a legislative act), and FDA approval that it's safe for use over the counter since it's being used currently as a medicinal substance.

The FDA could simply move marijuana from a class I schedule I drug to a schedule II drug. It wouldn't require any changes to any laws.

Do you know the way to Mordor:I haven't heard of any legal marijuana dispensaries selling heroin or crack on the side, have you? With the legalisation of marijuana it ceases to be a gateway drug, because marijuana will be brought out of the shadows where the drug dealers operate and be given a completely different point of sale from the other drugs.

In general pot dealers only sell pot and occasionally some club drugs. The problem with selling coke, speed and heroin is the steady customers for such are generally very dubious people.

Most of your argument to those points was well thought out, except this one.

If pot ends up taxed at the levels tobacco is at, no one will be able to afford it.

Do you actually know what tobacco taxes are?

The Fed taxes $1.01 per pack and states vary, but mine taxes 84 cents per pack. That's a lot for cigarettes, but if that were the tax on 20 joints or even a quarter ounce it would be hardly be noticed compared to today's prices for pot.

Besides:1) Don't we as a society have enough problems with legalized alcohol?and2) How do you rectify stopping tobacco use but allowing marijuana use? Both involve inhaling dangerous substances; if you think that pot is as pure as the driven snow with no known risks you're a willful fool.

*************************************************************And your degree in medicine is from where, WalMart?